Young Students’Informal Statistical Knowledge

This article reports some results of an informal study of very young children's reactions to some visual displays of data.     

The question of sign-language and the utility of signs in the instruction of the deaf: two papers by Alexander Graham Bell (1898)

Alexander Graham Bell is often portrayed as either hero or villain of deaf individuals and the Deaf community. His writings, however, indicate that he was neither, and was not as clearly definite in his beliefs about language as is often supposed. The following two articles, reprinted from The Educator (1898), Vol. V, pp. 3-4 and pp. 38-44, capture Bell's thinking about sign language and its use in the classroom. Contrary to frequent claims, Bell does not demand "oral" training for all deaf children--even if he thinks it is the superior alternative--but does advocate for it for "the semi-deaf" and "the semi-mute." "In regard to the others," he writes, "I am not so sure." Although he clearly voices his support for oral methods and fingerspelling (the Rochester method) over sign language, Bell acknowledges the use and utility of signing in a carefully-crafted discussion that includes both linguistics and educational philosophy. In separating the language used at home from that in school and on the playground, Bell reveals a far more complex view of language learning by deaf children than he is often granted. (M. Marschark).     

The Impact of Video Length on Learning in a Middle-Level Flipped Science Setting: Implications for Diversity Inclusion

Popularity of videos for classroom instruction has increased over the years due to affordability and user-friendliness of today’s digital video cameras. This prevalence has led to an increase in flipped, K-12 classrooms countrywide. However, quantitative data establishing the appropriate video length to foster authentic learning is limited, particularly in middle-level classrooms. We focus on this aspect of video technology in two flipped science classrooms at the middle school level to determine the optimal video length to enable learning, increase retention and support student motivation. Our results indicate that while assessments directly following short videos were slightly higher, these findings were not significantly different from scores following longer videos. While short-term retention of material did not seem to be influenced by video length, longer-term retention for males and students with learning disabilities was higher following short videos compared to long as assessed on summative assessments. Students self-report that they were more engaged, had enhanced focus, and had a perceived higher retention of content following shorter videos. This study has important implications for student learning, application of content, and the development of critical thinking skills. This is particularly paramount in an era where content knowledge is just a search engine away.     

Designing out barriers to student access and participation in secondary school assessment

In an effort to support student agency in assessment, teachers seek to provide detailed instructions and advice in associated assessment task sheets. In this paper, we analyse a sample English assessment task to consider how such assessment design practices might inadvertently create barriers to access and participation. To make our case, we highlight the learning characteristics of students in two of the most prevalent disability groups: students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and students with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). The paper links student agency to the problem of equity by analysing the conditions and criteria of access that are built into assessment design. The article concludes with design recommendations to help improve access for all students, including students in these two highly prevalent disability groups.     

A career in professional services: accident,serendipity or something more?

As part of a larger study, professional staff from two universities, Australian and British, were asked how they entered into a higher education career and what factors kept them in that career. Many participants reported that they found themselves in professional services almost by accident, or by a fortunate combination of circumstances. However, in addition to the serendipitous recruitment reported in earlier studies, our analysis found a positive value associated with higher education that attracted people to seek out employment opportunities, and to remain in the sector. This suggests that recruitment is not as accidental or serendipitous as might first appear. We argue that while there are many reasons why our participants remained in higher education, the variety offered in day-to-day roles and responsibilities is a key factor in retaining professional staff. Our findings have implications for policy and practice, for both the recruitment and retention of talented professional staff.     

Measuring Teachers' Repertoire of Teaching Methods

This research note reports an attempt to develop a measure of higher education teachers' repertoire of teaching methods. It summarises: ? the rationale for wanting such a measure; ? the stages of development of the inventory; ? data from the use of the inventory with 141 teachers; ? relationships between TMI scale scores and scale scores on two other instruments: the ATI and SEEQ; ? problems with the inventory and proposals for the development of an alternative way of measuring repertoire.     

Computer Experience,School Support and Computer Anxieties

Past research has shown computer anxiety to be present in a sizeable minority of school teachers, and has identified some of the personal and school‐based correlates of this anxiety. Before effective interventions can be introduced, however, more needs to be known of the various forms and sources of this problem. The current study involved a survey of the experiences, attitudes and anxieties of a random sample of 350 Australian primary and secondary school teachers. Levels of self‐rated computing competence among these teachers were moderately low. Computing competence and anxiety were highly correlated, r= ‐ 0.78. Three distinctive types of computer anxiety were identified, as was a set of factors predictive of each. As hypothesised, computer anxieties were inversely related to the quality of prior computer learning experiences, and to the extent of current school support for computer usage. Implications for the reduction of computer anxiety among teachers are discussed.     

On the developing role of physical models in engineering design education

Recent research, undertaken using participative observation methods within the Leonardo Da Vinci project ‘Open-Dynamic-Design’, provides evidence that EU industrial practice continues to value the flexibility of physical models across a range of disciplines. This research is placed within the philosophical educational framework established by Schon and examples of implementation within the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering disciplines at the University of Glasgow are discussed. It is argued that physical models support the concurrent optimisation of design and manufacturing processes and that they represent a continuing generic tool to support engineering design education.     

New Zealand management students’ perceptions of communication technologies in correspondence education

Nearly 1,000 management students enrolled in New Zealand's Technical Correspondence Institute during 1980‐1982 were mailed a questionnaire and followup letters from March ‐‐ July, 1983. Response rate was 76.9% (N=724). Did dropouts (3.43%) differ from persisters in their preferences for supplementary or alternative educational technologies? Dropouts were more receptive to telephone and audio taped communications and seminars. Audio tape and seminar variables were among surviving predictors of dropout after extensive multiple linear regression analyses. Distance education institutions should consider using multiple communication channels in order to cater to diverse student learning styles.     

Exploring Visual Displays involving Beanie Baby Data

This article describes the learning experiences of young children meeting stem-and-leaf plots for the first time.